Last winter we set out to tackle a non-trivial remodel to update the main living spaces in our 1960’s north Seattle home. Our home had a failing original deck placed in an awkward location and end of life kitchen, so we worked with an architect to draft plans to connect a new deck to the kitchen and dining areas, while updating these rooms as well. The plan required removing old sliding doors to the awkwardly placed original deck, adding two new sets of doors onto the new deck location, adding a new window in place of the old door, and modifying several interior walls. With plans in-hand we set off to gather bids from builders. Many builders that we contacted simply were too preoccupied to follow through, and some carried an off-putting sense of “my way or the highway” attitude. One builder stood out quite starkly from the rest, with a humble attitude and a genuine customer centric approach. They appeared to actually want our business, listened, and put together a detailed and competitive bid. As you might guess, the builder was Renovate Construction, and we subsequently chose them to move forward with the project. Communication with Amanda and Derek from day one has always been excellent, and the project started off as well as could be expected. They worked swiftly with our structural engineer and architect to work out kinks and manage the pre-inspections process with the city. Towards the end of January, we were already ready to tear down and rebuild the new deck. Building materials were delivered, deck demolition happened, and then….COVID. This threw everyone for a loop. To Renovate’s full credit they handled this setback as well as any small business could. They remained agile and in constant communication with us about new protocols, possible timelines, and our own comfort levels with go forward options. Following recommended protocols we resumed the outdoor deck portion of the remodel in spring as soon as regulations allowed. Amanda and Derek both showed strong leadership to ensure and encourage a safe environment for both our family (who were stuck at home from our own work quarantines), and for their crews. The deck rebuild was led by Oleg and a team of very skilled builders. It was amazing to watch the deck come to life in real time while we were stuck at home ourselves, and also gave our young kids something to watch other than iPads and Zoom calls. Oleg’s team can be summed up with the word “meticulous”, and it was obvious that they took a lot of pride as true craftsmen. Needles to say the deck turned out beautiful. The next decision was a little more difficult for us to move forward with, and that was whether we were comfortable with demolishing our kitchen/dining/living area with crews inside the house in the middle of a pandemic while being stuck at home 24/7. With Renovate’s help and full cooperation we were able to come up with a solution that temporarily “walled off” the entire construction area from the rest of the house, and also rig a temporary sink/laundry area in other areas of the house. This provided a manageable temporary living solution that gave us the space necessary to safely continue. As soon as regulations allowed, Renovate was ready with the required safety protocol and plan. As doors, windows, and walls were removed and added, Derek was instrumental in making sure the impact to us at home was as minimal as possible. His crew was so well planned and prepared, there was not one instance where a removed door or window was not in place within the same day. In other words, there wasn’t a night where a door or window opening didn’t have a fully attached window or door in place. It’s these types of customer centric details that make Renovate a little different than other builders, and it takes a different kind of builder mentality when you are doing work in someone’s home while they are still living there. As the project quickly progressed, Amanda, Derek, and Oleg were always in great communication with us. As any construction project does, there are instances where not everything goes perfect (building plan discrepancies, finish details, billing adjustments). These things happen to some degree in every construction project no matter what, but the big difference between builders is in how they are handled when encountered. Renovate never shied away from accountability on the handful of small issues we encountered, and always immediately addressed a solution with perfect communication and a customer centric approach. Renovate was also very flexible with us on many components of the project. When I told Derek that I was having second thoughts on countertop materials, and was considering the notion of building my own decorative concrete countertops instead of quartz…he not only didn’t say ‘no way!’…he actively encouraged me to do it (which in hindsight was somewhat questionable advice - knowing how much work it is now ?). My wife and I were also particular in the finish that we wanted on the doors and windows, and decided we wanted to do this ourselves. Derek was a cheerleader for us, and fully let us become a small part of the build. Fortunately, we didn’t totally screw up these details we wanted to do ourselves, but it wasn’t lost on me that most builders wouldn’t put the fate of a remodel project, with all it’s dependencies, in the hands of some hack homeowners. Derek listened to us, gauged whether we were capable of what we said we wanted to do, and then fully encouraged us to be an active part of the remodel. With the remodel now done, it’s really hard to imagine our house the way it was before. It truly turned out better than we had imagined from the drawings. And while COVID thew our timeline for a bit of a loop, the project was still completed at a good pace…and just as important, Renovate’s bid was pretty darn close to on-target. I’m very glad we chose Renovate to work with on this project, and have nothing but good vibes from our updated home. Considering we completed this safely and thoroughly in the middle of a pandemic, it’s really a testament to the people at Renovate. My only worry about writing such a good review for them is that they’ll be too busy to take on my next remodel project. Regardless, they are a great company with great people – and their continued success and growth is well earned. Thank you Renovate. Very happy with our house!